Do dietary supplements really help control diabetes? People with diabetes may want to know if the ads they see or hear are true. Take a few minutes to learn about the relationship between diabetes and dietary supplements.
What are dietary supplements?
Dietary supplements contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, such as herbs, and are oral products. They can sometimes provide extra nutrition for people with specific health problems, including diabetes. However, most people with diabetes still need to take traditional prescription medications to control their blood sugar levels.
How can dietary supplements help control diabetes?
So far, there has not been enough research to support the specific recommendations made for diabetes and dietary supplements. Ongoing research points to two minerals that may have a relationship with blood sugar control.
- Chromium is needed to help the body use glucose efficiently. However, more research is needed to show whether taking magnesium supplements helps control blood glucose levels in people who are not magnesium deficient.
- Patients with problems with insulin secretion and those with complications of type 2 diabetes have low magnesium levels. Whether magnesium dietary supplements will help alleviate or reduce these problems remains unknown.
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How do dietary supplements impede diabetes control?
If one is not careful, one will not notice that diabetes and dietary supplements can be a dangerous combination. Here’s why.
- Some supplements have been contaminated with items other than the ingredients listed on the label.
- Some supplements may interact with medications or other supplements (like herbs) that can increase or decrease their effectiveness. For example, St. John’s wort reacts with many medications and should be avoided with many other medications.
Deciding whether to use dietary supplements for diabetes
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that there is no evidence that vitamin or mineral supplements are beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes who are not actually deficient in the relevant ingredients.
Consult your doctor, which is the first step in deciding whether to take dietary supplements in combination to manage your diabetes. Your doctor will discuss the possible benefits and risks of dietary supplements.
The doctor or pharmacist will also want to check that the supplements taken will not react seriously with the medication.
When telling your doctor or other health care professional about the medications you take, be sure to list any dietary supplements you are taking.